Atomizer with cleaning and flushing attachment



May 23, 1933. c. E. n n-:Wis 90025 ATOMIZER WITH CLEANING AND FLUSHING ATTACHMENT Filed June 13, 1930 Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT carica CAEEOLL n. LEWIS, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, NSSIerNOE,v EY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To LEWIS AIE ooNnITIoNEES, INC., 0E MINNEAPOLIS, MINNEsOTA, A oon- PORATION 0F DELAWARE ATGMIZERl WITH y(`J]E1AN'I1\TG AND FLUSHING ATTACHMENT Application filed lJune 13,

Y his invention relates to fluid discharging nozzles and especially to a nozzle adapted to discharge a finely divided whirling conical spray. Such nozzles are extensively used at thistime in connection with many types of apparatus and equipment, such as for example, in air conditioning systems, humidifers, sprayers of all types, milk driers, etc.

lt is an object of my present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive nozzleof the type above `referred to which will etliciently clean and unclog itself when desired.

,ln nozzles used for discharging a nely divided spray of water, small ports are usually required within the body of the nozzle for ,obtaining a swirling of the duid and these readily become obstructed `or clogged due to the presence of small particles of foreign material in the water or other iuid. Moreover, in most available sources of prese sure water supplychemicals are presentV in the water which form a scale witliinconduits and nozzles through which the fluid passes and this scale in most nozzles often plugs up or obstructs the discharge port.

It is a'further object of my invention to provide a nozzle `of the class described having means for flushing out the passages rand forcibly unclogging and opening the discharge port. l

More specifically it is an object of my invention to provide a nozzle of the class described having arbody and a longitudinally movable head disposedtherein cooperating with the passage in said body to produce a swirling motion upon the water, theL movement ofsaid head effecting4 a thorough flushing of the passage and'spiral channels of said head: and furthermore serving to forcibly unclog the discharge port. A kfurther object is to provide a nozzle structure which will minimize, if not entirely eliminate, the formation of scale upon the relatively small spiral-,channels and other parts which effect the 'efficiency ofthe device. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully setl forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, inwhich like reference characters refer to similar Isso. Serin` No. edera parts throughout the several views wherein:

I Fig. Vvl isa longitudinal section of thepreferred embodiment of my invention with the nozzle or piston head disposed in the normal operating position; .t

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l showing the two ports which communicate with the double spiral thread for effecting the swirlingraction of the Huid discharged; y

Fig; 3 shows the application of my Vdevice to a humidifier and air conditionerjf v In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive my nozzle comprises a Straight tubular body indicated as an enf tirety by the letter B having a relatively large axial passage 5 therethrough, being of circularcrossI section and havinga diminished outer end 5a which constitutes an atomizing chamber and which terminates at the outer extremity of body B in a relatively small discharge port 6. The passage at the upper and inner end of body B will be slightly enlarged to receive a suitable packing gland 7 fluid intake conduit 9 communicates with the medial portion of passage 5, said conduit, as

shown, extending laterally with respect to theaxis of body B.

A piston or nozzle head 10 is normally dis-l n posed longitudinally within the diminished outer portion 5a of the iiuid passage, which portion will hereafter be referred to as the atomizing chamber.4 rlhe nozzle head 10 is shown vas in the ,form of a cylinder of slightly less diameter than atomizing chamber 5a and is provided on its exterior 'with a relatively coarse, double spiral thread 10a. lt;` will, of course, be understood vthat a triple spiral thread or any number of spiral threads may be employed. Two or more small grooves 10b extend longitudinally of the nozzle head 10 from the inner end thereoffor some distance for forming in conjunction with the atomizing chamber 5a., entranceV ports which communicate withr` the; spiral channels formed by the double spiral thread. The communicating grooves or ports 10bmay be conveniently formed by saw-cutting the inner end of the nozzle head or plunger, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Nozzle head 10 is preferably slidably connected with a piston rod 11 which extends axially through passage 5 passing through the packing gland 7 at the inner end of the body, the outer end of rod11 having an enlargement 11a which engages a suitable seat in the outer end of nozzle head 10. A washer 12 may surround the rod 11 at the inner end of nozzle head 10 and `a coiled spring 13 is interposed between said washer and collar 14 which is secured to the medial portion of rod 11 to normally position nozzle head 10 at the outer end ofthe piston rod. The rod 11 may project beyond the upper or inner end of body B and is connected with a suitable operating handle, such as, for example, a lever 15 lby which the'rod may be actuated both in upward and downward directions.

In the particular application of my no'zzle illustrated in Fig. 8 the nozzle is supported in vertical position within the flue 1G of an air conditioner or humidifier, such as the air conditioner disclosed in my copending U. S. application S. N. 261,5?6, liled on March 14th, 1928 entitled Humidiiier and heater. As shown, said flue 16 is provided with a series of arcuate evaporating plates 17 and a unit heater indicated as an entirety by the number 18 sets up `a forced circulation of air upwardly through the flue. The discharge end of my nozzle is projected downwardly to discharge a finely divided conical spray in the direction of the upper edges of the evaporating plates. The Vapparatus, as illustrated, also includes a' suitable moisture eliminating device 19 comprising zig zag plates' disposedin the upper end of iiue 16.

In operation the piston or nozzle head 10 is normally held outwardly by pressure of the fluid, seating against the outer truncated conical extremity of the atomizing chamber 5a. Fluid entering the body lof the nozzle passes through passage 5 through the grooves or ports 10b and into the spiral channels formed by cooperation of the double threads 10a with the atomizing chamber 5a. The velocity of the flow of fluid through said spiral channels is relatively high due to the small cross sectional area of the channels and the pressure of the Huid in the enlarged portion of passage 5. Because of this velocity there is practically no chance for chemicals in the Huid to set upa scale upon the spiral threads forming the channels or upon the grooves 106.

If small particles of foreign `material lodge in the ports 10b or in the spiral-channels, the same will be readily detected since the spray discharged by the nozzle will not be a perfect conical spray. lIf such is the case, piston rod ll'may be moved upwardly aligned with on the 'outer end of Idischarged and 0r inwardly with respect to the body B by manipulating the lever 15 or other means for operating'the same and the nozzle head 10 will accordingly be moved longitudinally from the atomizing chamber 5a into the enlarged or medial portion of passage 5. In such position of the piston the water or other fluid will flush out the spiral channels, the ports or i grooves 10b and the atomizing chamber, discharging the foreign `material through the discharge port 6. v

Vhen it is desired to clean out or unclog the discharge port 6 of the nozzle, the piston rod 11 may be moved longitudinally in an outward direction beyond the point normally positioned when the nozzle head 10 is lseated against the outer extremity of the atomizing' chamber. This is possible because of the slidable connection between the rod 11 and the nozzle head 10 and since the enlargement 11a at the outer end of rod 11 is axially discharge port 6 it will be forcibly projected through said port against the tension of coiled spring 13, cutting and removing anyscale or material which has accumulated to clog the discharge port. The

coiled spring, of course, normally holds the enlargement-11a of the piston rod seated in the outer end ofthe said head; rIhe spray produced by mynozzle is in the form of a symmetrical whirling cone, the two or more grooves formed by the spiral threads terminating at circumferentially spaced points the head 10. My structure eifects a very rapid swirling of the fluid a substantially perfect spray is assured.V f l AFrom the foregoing description it will be seen that I have elii'cient self-cleaning nozzle which will not yaccumulate upon the small ports of the device an incrustation or scale and which may be readily'lushed and unclogged without.- taking the nozzle apart.

By removing the packing nut 8 and the several elementsof packing gland 7, the piston or nozzle head and piston rod maybe readily removed from thev open inner end of body B.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stat- 120 ed, consists in a device capable ofcarrying out theobjects above set forth, and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Whatis claimed is 1. In an atomizer, a body having an axial fluid passage, said passage having a diminished cylindrical outer portion lterminating in a relativelyl small axial discharge port, a cylindrical nozzle headr normally seated in the cylindrical portion of said passage and provided a simple but highly .Y

of substantially similar diameter thereto, a rod extending through said body axially of said passage and having at its outer end slidable connection with said nozzle head, said nozzle head having a substantially helical peripheral groove extending from the inner to the outer end thereof, said body terminating in a discharge port axially aligned with the outer end of said rod and of substantially equal diameter therewith,

said rod being slidable in said body for cleaning said port and connected `with said nozzle head to retract the same into the enlarged portion of said passage.

2. In an atomizer, a body having an axial fluid passage, said passage having a diminished outer portion terminating in a reduced axial discharge port, a fluid supply conduit communicating laterally with said axial passage, a plunger or nozzle head normally seat*- ed in the diminished portion of said passage and limited in outward movement by the reduced extremity of said passage forming said discharge port, said plunger being of substantially equal diameter to the outer diminished portion of said passage and having a helical peripheral groove extending from one end to the other endrthereof, a rod extending axially through said passage and plunger and projecting through said body v for manipulation from the exterior of said body, said rod being slidable both in said body and said plunger and having a connection with said plunger for retracting said plunger into the enlarged portion of said passage, the inner extremity of said rod being axially aligned with and tting said reduced discharge port yto clean theV same Y when said rod is slidably moved inwardly.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

- CARROLL E. LEWIS. 

